Interrupters are used for example as safety battery clamps in vehicles, which in the event of an accident disconnect one or more of the motor vehicle's electrical loads from the power supply to prevent electrical sparking.
DE 196 06 447 A1 for example discloses a circuit-breaker for a vehicle battery wire, in which a contact between two connecting parts ensures the electrical connection thereof. The retention force of the connecting element is applied substantially at a location which is spatially distant from the contact. Furthermore, an auxiliary drive is provided, which moves away the connecting element to disconnect the electric circuit.
DE 10 2004 012 304 A1 discloses a circuit-breaker for a vehicle battery wire, having a first terminal which is connected permanently to a post of the battery and a second terminal insulated electrically from the first terminal, and also a contact producing a current path between the first and second terminals in a contact position. The two terminals here take the form of hollow cylinders, the contact sliding inside these cylinders. The contact may be driven out of the cylinders by a pyrotechnic element. In this way, the second terminal is disconnected from the first terminal.
Problems exist with such interrupters for an electrical wire of the above-mentioned type in that they require a relatively large installation space and are sensitive to soiling or debris presented during operation.